I'm studying A Level German and today we finished watching the film, having watched it over several lessons. I was always reluctant to stop watching, when the lesson ended and now I'm buying a copy of my own. Reluctant to leave lessons, buying films we've studied, it's unheard of for me! But this film is that good...
I wasn't impressed by the idea when our teacher first put it to us, as I don't care for thrillers. The film is also in German, with subtitles. Yet, from beginning to end, I was hooked. I'd never have looked twice at the film normally and I'm glad we had to study it.
Two notes of caution for prospective viewers. One, the plot is very political and becomes very complex at times, although enthralling, with a large number of characters to keep track of, made even harder because you have to read the dialogue. Two, there are some sex scenes, which although brief, are quite graphic.
Don't let this put you off. The 15 rating is about right and adults and older… more »

I'm studying A Level German and today we finished watching the film, having watched it over several lessons. I was always reluctant to stop watching, when the lesson ended and now I'm buying a copy of my own. Reluctant to leave lessons, buying films we've studied, it's unheard of for me! But this film is that good...
I wasn't impressed by the idea when our teacher first put it to us, as I don't care for thrillers. The film is also in German, with subtitles. Yet, from beginning to end, I was hooked. I'd never have looked twice at the film normally and I'm glad we had to study it.
Two notes of caution for prospective viewers. One, the plot is very political and becomes very complex at times, although enthralling, with a large number of characters to keep track of, made even harder because you have to read the dialogue. Two, there are some sex scenes, which although brief, are quite graphic.
Don't let this put you off. The 15 rating is about right and adults and older teens should enjoy this film a lot.

A thoroughly absorbing film set in the bleak backdrop of a nation divided not only by a wall but by a regime so obsessed with its self existence it had to rely on the efforts of its own people from every profession to 'spy' on the activities and movements of every individual, regardless of whether they posed any threat to a regime so immersed in its communist ideal. The real beauty of this film for me, above all else, is that it is so untypical German. I say this because it really packs an emotional punch and although we see the film begin with an examination of interrogation techniques so typically associated with the 'cold war era' the film moves tensely but patiently into a group of actors, actresses, playwrights, poets and Directors doing very ordinary things. These were not Capitalists desperate to free themselves from a regime; these were just 'artists' wanting to express their art on an everyday level. So here I think lies the conflict for the authorities. How could or should… more »

A thoroughly absorbing film set in the bleak backdrop of a nation divided not only by a wall but by a regime so obsessed with its self existence it had to rely on the efforts of its own people from every profession to 'spy' on the activities and movements of every individual, regardless of whether they posed any threat to a regime so immersed in its communist ideal. The real beauty of this film for me, above all else, is that it is so untypical German. I say this because it really packs an emotional punch and although we see the film begin with an examination of interrogation techniques so typically associated with the 'cold war era' the film moves tensely but patiently into a group of actors, actresses, playwrights, poets and Directors doing very ordinary things. These were not Capitalists desperate to free themselves from a regime; these were just 'artists' wanting to express their art on an everyday level. So here I think lies the conflict for the authorities. How could or should they deal with this group of people? These were not an underground resistance, they were just artists with a passion for books, music and film and because they did not overtly conform to the 'normal' way of thinking they were deemed a dangerous appendage on German Society. As the film gathers momentum we begin to almost will the Stasi officer Wiesler played by Ulriche Muhe (who himself was spied on for many years) to tell Dreyman (played by Sebastian Koch) that he need not worry because he has an Angel literally over his head. Muhe seems to almost enjoy the cat and mouse confrontation with his superior who can only worry about his own promotional prospects by 'digging some dirt' on Dreyman, who happens to be living with a drug dependant girlfriend Christa-Maria Sieland '(who is secretly conducting an affair with a party official in return for drugs and a long acting career). Muhe is torn between what he knows he should do but also with what he feels he should do and after being drawn in by the music of Beethoven he begins to embark on a dangerous and incredibly tense journey to do something, even if it is to his own detriment. I was so moved by this film that I watched the final 15 minutes again and again, to think that the Stasi files gathered on all the individuals over so many years, would, if stretched run for over 100 kilometres we begin to understand exactly how meticulous and paranoid the regime actually was. Regardless of all the underlying political message this film is a triumph on every level, beautifully crafted, intelligently written and set to the wonderful sounds of Gabriel Yareds musical score (better known for Talented Mr Ripley) I urge everyone to watch this film and enjoy it as much as I did. Vorsprungduch Technik as they say in Germany!